Comments

Comment by Breakingeva

Just picked up this quest in Dalaran and came to Darnassus to turn it in, but that's it? Does anyone know if this is supposed to lead to anything at all? The person you turn it in to doesn't give you another quest or anything. 1g 86s reward at level 80.

Comment by killer2890

from what i heard that q somehow intruduces the mages class on Nelfs.

Comment by Wamo

I can confirm that this quest counts toward the Loremaster of Kalimdor achievement.

Comment by NekoSOM

To all those curious, this quest is not part of a chain, and upon turning in will not lead into any sort of dialogue (other than the brief dialogue that occurs whether the player turns in the quest or not). Rather, this quest is simply meant to introduce you to several NPCs, part of the Highborne.

For those unfamiliar, Highborne, or Quel'dorei, was the name given to Night Elven follwers of Queen Azshara. They were practitioners of Arcane magic, which brought the attention of the Burning Legion, and started the War of the Ancients. Those Night Elves who practiced Druidic magic, the Kaldorei, led by Cenarius and Mulfurion Stormrage, defeated the forces of the Burning Legion affiliated with the Highborne. Many of those Highborne were caught within the explosion of the Well of Eternity, either perishing or transforming into the Naga. (For more, read

After the Sundering, the surviving Night Elves decided to banish Arcane magic for its corrupting powers. The surviving Highborne, however, could not resist. Another war broke out, and this time they were banished from the lands of Kalimdor. These elves would sail east, and found the kingdom of Quel'thalas, creating a new fount of arcane power called the Sunwell.

There were a few Highborne able to avoid the fate of their brethren. These were the mages of Eldre'Thalas, called the Shen'dralar. Needing a source of energy to feed their arcane addiction with the Well of Eternity now gone, the leader of Eldre'Thalas, Tortheldrin, captured a demon by the name of Immol'thar in order to siphon its energies and maintain his peoples' immortality. As thousands of years passed however, they were beginning to lose the means to contain Immol'thar. So Tortheldrin began slaughtering his own people to contain the demon.

If the story of World of Warcraft matches lore, then the players have destroyed Immol'thar and killed Prince Tortheldrin within Dire Maul. With the information we have, these Highborne are the survivors of Eldre'Thalas. We don't know whether they were the followers of Tortheldrin, or are his surviving victims. It is known at least one Highborne stood against Tortheldrin, who goes by the name of Azj'Tordin, so its assumed these survivors are associated with him.

At any rate, hopefully this storyline will expand beyond this one quest before we are finally able to play as Night Elf mages.

Comment by Janettie

Archmage Mordent Evenshade:Sentinel, I would speak with your High Priestess.Sentinel Stillbough:You must wait for an audience.Archmage Mordent Evenshade:Must I? I doubt Tyrande has more pressing business.Sentinel Stillbough:You show some nerve coming to Teldrassil, Highborne. Your kind are unwelcome here. We have not forgotten the War of the Ancients, or the minds behind it.Archmage Mordent Evenshade:The lure of power is great. Mistakes were made.Sentinel Stillbough:And we would not see those mistakes repeated. Return to your exile.Archmage Mordent Evenshade:There is a change on the wind, and we cannot ignore it. I have traveled from the dust and ruin of the past to come to an accord.Archmage Mordent Evenshade:The time may soon come when the kaldorei require the knowledge and skill we have to offer.Archmage Mordent Evenshade:I will wait, Sentinel... but I will have my audience.Sentinel Stillbough:In good time.

Archmage Mordent Evenshade:

I suppose I should not be surprised at this cold reception. We have long been in hiding, and the separation from our brethren was necessary.

That time, however, is done. Whether the residents of this young tree come to accept us or not, the Highborne are returning to light, and we will not turn our backs on what we are.

Comment by healeronplate

Welcome to Cataclysm.

Let's analyze:

He says they came from the "ruins of Eldre'Thalas", a.k.a. Dire Maul.

That was the highbourne city lead by Queen Azshara.

He speaks of a "change" that's coming, and as he speaks with the sentinel, he states that the kaldorei (the NEs) will require their help.

And now, with Cataclysm, The Sunken City of Vashj'ir will be added to the game and, according to what we know, it will be a part of what was the elven kingdoms before the Sundering, and it's now located south of the Maelstrom. So, before the Sundering, it was located next to Eldre'thalas, we can suppose.

Comment by clefftull

After you get the quest, just enter the portal to Darnassus that's in front of the quest giver.

Comment by Admitos

Mordent Evenshade is located in Darnassus at 39.7-79.8

Comment by yangman

I think it is a preparation for NE mage in the upcoming expansion

Comment by dalavita

Do you need to be a mage to get this quest? I'm at Daros Moonlance but no quest is available, and I'm pretty sure that I've never done it. How do you make the quest available?

Comment by myrlian

to the person who said they thought there would only be two patches before 4.0, well at this point it's obvious that wasn't the case, but I would have told you such back when 3.2.2 first came out. I'm fairly certain we will continue to see patches leading up to the actual cataclysm as it will allow them to introduce the world changing events more gradually, rather than all at once. As for skipping numbers, they do it all the time.

Comment by akashii

Is it just me or are Druids not allowed to pick up this quest? (I assume due to the arguments a Druid would have against letting arcane magic back into their society) I can pick it up on all of my other characters but not my main. I'm pretty sure I haven't done it on her.

If this is the case, I think it's pretty cool! It's the first instance I can think of where lore has been applied to a class when dealing with this sort of quest.

Comment by Nostri

Is anyone else having issues getting the quest? I've checked him twice in the last few days and he's not a quest giver for me. Did they take the quest down already?

Comment by silentpoet

I just got it as a 72 human pally. I have done all of borean tundra quests, a few of howling fjord, and have picked up the stars' rest quests in dragonblight. I think somewhere in there is a hidden prereq quest for this little chain. Maybe at Stars' rest.

Comment by dezmond

Not able to turn this in after 4.0.3a. Quest is still in my log, item is still in my inventory. Opening a GM ticket to see if I can get it resolved...

Comment by Xbander

This quest is gone. It was only temporary, the pre-shattering elementals invading capital cities.

A Cautious Return

Description

A moment of your time, <class>.

Change is coming. It has drawn us out of the ruins of Eldre'Thalas and into the wide world once more. I have come to research this city and cannot stray from it, but if you are inclined, I have an errand for you.

My colleague set out for Darnassus to speak with the High Priestess there, that we might come to an understanding. Take this journal to Mordent Evenshade in the temple. It may help in his diplomacy mission.